If My Ex-Boss Was Not There..

Everybody in the office was under very much stress when the central unit of the audit and inspection department arrived. All in our office were clueless about their sudden arrival. Later, we knew that they came on a surprise inspection, on receiving an anonymous letter informing that some foul play was going on in our office regarding payment of bogus and inflated bills of vendors who supplied goods to our factory at various locations. The payment of all bills was centralized at my office. We were working in the purchasing department. The informer has advised the audit team that, if no remedial action is taken immediately, the company will go bust very soon and all employees will lose their jobs.

The branch manager called inside each one of the officers and gave strict instructions that they should not talk with the audit team unless intimidated and no official information should be parted with them without discussing first with the branch head. He asked all subordinate staff, to attend the team on a priority basis. Arrangements were made to serve tea and other refreshments whenever they demanded. Arrangements were also made for their stay at the nearby 3-star hotel by the senior staff.

On the very first day of their arrival, the team wandered around the office and selected the vacant conference room as their temporary office camp with the sole intention of grilling the officers individually and in private so that normal business is not affected.

It was soundproof and dust-free, with a red carpet placed on the floor. Normally it was reserved for the Chairman, during his visits to the city. Otherwise, it was never opened daily. Only on getting the short notice of visit from the secretary of the Chairman, it was cleaned with the vacuum cleaner and decorated with a bouquet placed on the table kept at one of the corners. The perfumed air freshener was also used to spray for welcoming Chairman.

They settled for the first day with utmost strategic planning, with no action seen. They were roaming in the office as Police officers and we all were treated as culprits. As per their request, three dedicated PCs were provided to them in the conference room for their use. The IT officer was busy for the whole day installing the computers and resolving the network issues.

Every time he came out of the conference room, the branch manager called him inside his cabin in private and asked him what the inspectors were doing in the room. He replied that he could not make out anything from their talk since they used some codes while talking and rarely spoke anything related to the functioning of the branch. They were talking on their mobile phones often with their bosses.

On the next day, the team had arrived well before our arrival in the office. They started their work in the morning itself and asked for all the files containing the bills, which were outstanding and settled for the current year. We had a system to keep the physical copies of the settled files also till they are audited internally and by Govt. agencies, separately, despite every single detail were available in the system. When the office boy went to their room for the supply of tea, he saw that they were checking all entries in the PCs with that of the physical files. He further said that they were recording details of some of the bills in their diary. We presumed that they got some vital information to grill us.

Everybody was tense in the office, despite knowing that they have done nothing wrong. The Branch manager used to call meetings of all staff in general and officers separately on all days, during the special audit period, after auditor’s leaving the office. He asserted that in case something goes wrong, he will not support anybody but he will find ways to save himself. It was known to everybody that the branch manager used to take some favors from a few vendors. He was afraid that the officers may disclose this fact if they are grilled by the auditors.

The next day, two officers were called inside for questioning one in the morning and the one in the afternoon. They were rather afraid of going inside, but somehow they seem to have replied to all their queries, but both were scared when they came out.

In the evening they told us that they asked them directly about the percentage they were collecting to settle each bill. They even told the officers that nothing will happen to their job if the truth is told to them. As there was no practice of that sort in the office, they firmly replied in the negative.

My turn came in the next day afternoon. It was found by them that physical copy of one of the settled bills during my tenure was missing from the box files, the details of which they had noted down in their diary. Normally all settled bills were given to the office boy who used to file. They asked me what I had done with the bill. I started perspiring for not being able to show the bill, for no reason of mine. 

They had smelled a rat in the whole process, by not seeing one bill. The same question was also asked to me as to how much I used to charge for settlement of one bill and if the vendors don’t agree to pay any extra, whether I used to delay the payment to them. I repeated the same answer as other officers told me that there was no system of any kickback for settlement.

We used to make the payment of bills on the due date itself, after taking the routine approval from the concerned authority and the same could have been verified from the software itself and why such a fuss, I thought. I could not concentrate on the routine work on that day and I could not sleep that night, with unnecessary stress. The next day morning I reached office quite early and searched all the files of the settled bills including that of the previous year. It was noticed that the missing bill was wrongly filed in the previous year’s file by the office boy by an oversight. I got a sigh of relief and took out that “missing bill” and produced before the auditors. I was happy then but they were not.

The audit went on for two more days. In the next week, our office got a clean chit from the head office saying that nothing was wrong in the payment of bills. We were all happy the day we received the letter. The branch manager was doubly happy that he could not be caught as nobody gave a hint even to the auditors about his deeds.   

It was a coincidence that my ex-boss Mr. Mehta was also in the team of audit as their Head. Though he never questioned me on the day I was called inside, leaving the job for the other two, I knew that he was very much sure of my integrity as I had worked under him for more than five years. I thought for a moment if anything would have happened to me if my ex-boss was not there in the team and if I was not able to produce the missing bill the next day. It was just anxiety, but the truth prevailed, no reason for any suspicion. There were reasons to believe that Mr. Mehta was a thorough gentleman, as nobody showed any finger against him, throughout his career.

During my earlier tenure, he was my boss and also a mentor to me during difficult times. He used to cheer me up to be proficient in the work and to write the departmental exams for getting promotions. He earnestly desired that I should come up in my life.

He always told me that if anyone remained loyal and sincere to the institution, he will have no reason to worry about the job. The increase in salary and perks will follow once you get a promotion. Only thing is that one should be willing to relocate to any place on promotion or otherwise. He even advised me to read various management books including that of Dale Carnegie, for personality development. He was a very simple man with high ideals and ethics with a compassionate mind, but very strict as far as work is concerned. He never favored any employee for promotion but considered only their merits.

There was an instance, where I found his profound love and empathy towards me. When I got a phone call from my brother, informing me that our father is very serious and in the hospital, it was he who arranged an air ticket for me for going to the native place, where my father lived. He rather accompanied me to the airport and provided me with some cash despite my refusal. Unluckily, my father died before I reached there and only after completing all connected rituals, I joined the office. I repaid the money to him only after getting that month’s salary. I knew that he had helped several employees in the past as well as thereafter. I got inspired by him, especially on that day, but my regards to him were in plenty, as he is an exemplary man in all ways.

I get inspiration from him even now; despite he retired as a General Manager of our group company, a decade back.

I have still kept his handwritten letter congratulating me on my wedding. It is still a treasure for me. Fond memories never die, because I am inspired by his ideals and simplicity; it never fades by the passage of time.

It was also disclosed in the communication received at our office that the anonymous letter was written by none other than Shri Sharma, who was terminated from the services of the company for serious fraud committed by him.

On the concluding a day of inspection, Mr. Mehta shook hands with everybody and especially enquired about me and my family, because he understands me better than anyone else. The smile on his face, as always seen, is a mark of his simplicity and empathy. He is always remembered as a perfect gentleman among many people who had a chance to interact with him. I hope people like him be an inspiration for all. 

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